The First Final Fantasy VIII Kingdom Story Ever!
by Moshi Moshi Mai
Summary: Is this totally whack or what! This story is about four different kingdoms, two arranged marriages, and one chaotic plot! [Squinoa, Seiftis, and slight Selvine] This story is dead. Sorry.
1. Chapter One

A/N-Well, I took some advice from one of my reviewers about having a Final Fantasy VIII story different from other normal ones. Guess what? This is totally bizarre, but it sounds fun....A PRINCE/PRINCESS STORY! WEEEEEEE!!! I've never seen this happen in this category, so I'm going to try it out and see what happens! Here goes nothing! ^_____^

THE FIRST FINAL FANTASY VIII KINGDOM STORY EVER!

MOSHI MOSHI MAI

Chapter One

TREPE KINGDOM:

BALAMB

                Long, pale, and slender fingers combed gently through honey blonde waves. Dark and mysterious blue eyes peered brightly at their reflection as the owner's soft pink lips curved slowly upwards. A gentle sigh escaped from the young girl's lips and she turned away from her reflection, standing up from the chair and walking towards the door. Today definitely felt like a good day. She could feel it in her veins. Something big was going to happen.

                She gracefully glided down the long, crystal stairs with the elegance of a swan. Humming a lost tune, she swiftly turned to her right and entered the dining room where her parents were seated across from each other on the long wooden table. Looking up, King Trepe smiled at his daughter in greeting and returned to his meal. Queen Trepe, on the other hand, had a troubled look on her face as her daughter bowed her head respectfully in her direction.

                "What's up, Mom?" the young girl asked, sitting down in the middle of the ornately carved table. Queen Trepe looked at her daughter again with her clear green eyes. After pausing for a moment, she responded, "Nothing, my dear. There is nothing wrong. Why don't you ask your _father_." She seemed to stress the last sentence, glaring angrily at her husband. The young princess shifted uneasily in her chair. After a moment, she craned her head in the direction of King Trepe.

                "Dad? What's Mom talking about?" she asked uncertainly. King Trepe seemed to look nervous for a moment, his dark blue eyes landing on anything but his daughter. His eyes finally landed on her and he sent her a nervous smile. He clasped his hands together and leaned forward on the table, staring straight at his daughter.

                "Quistis, you are 18 now, am I correct?" Quistis nodded. "And at this age, it is normal to be looking for a husband. Any husband. Please." Quistis immediately shot up from the table, shock clearly visible on her porcelain face.

                "No way!  I'll choose who I want to spend the REST of my life with when I want to!" she said, trying to control her temper. King Trepe sighed. Every time he brought up the subject of marriage to his daughter, there she would go, refusing the hand of the many countless men. But, today would be different.

                "Quistis, dear. You don't have a choice," Queen Trepe said sadly, placing a stray strand of light blonde hair behind her ear. Quistis stared at her mother.

                "What's that supposed to mean....?" King Trepe smiled nervously and spoke, "You see, we have arranged a marriage with the Almasy Kingdom. You might have heard of their son…Prince Seifer Almasy?"

And after that, it was pure chaos.

( Sorry Quistis is OOC! ^___^;;)

ALMASY KINGDOM:

DOLLET

                Seifer Almasy's piercing green eyes shot open. There it was again. " Shhhh…ow! Stop it! You'll wake him up! OW! What the--? Don't you do that—OW! MY SHIN! MY HOLY SHIN! You be quiet! Shhhh!" Seifer growled in an annoyed fashion and turned over in his king-sized bed, ferociously shoving his swan-feather pillow on top of his head.

                "SHADDAP."

                "Why do ya have to be so mean, Fuuj?"

                "NOT MEAN."

                " Look at this bruise! What kind of creature would do this?!"

                "CREATURE?!"

                Smack.

                "OWWWWWW!!!" Seifer had had enough. He sat up straight in his bed and yelled " SHUT UP! CAN'T I GET A MINUTE OF SLEEP?!" Silence. Then, a soft knock on the door and Raijin bounced in, followed by a stony Fuujin.

                "Good morning, Seifer, ya know?! Sorry about the commotion, ya know?! Fuujin was getting all fed up, ya know?!" Seifer sighed in annoyance. He wasn't going to be getting sleep anytime soon.

                "IMPORTANT NEWS." Seifer turned to face Fuujin whose hands were clasped behind her back.

                "What is it?" Raijin answered his question by shrugging.

                "We don't know, ya know? King Almasy wouldn't tell us, ya know? He only told us to get you and say it was very important, ya know?!" Seifer sighed in frustration and motioned his two friends out so that he could get changed. 

                "This better be good," he muttered, sauntering over to his bathroom. After a couple of minutes, he opened the door and followed the two towards the dining hall where his parents were patiently waiting. King Almasy noticed Seifer first and nodded his head. " Good morning, my son."

                "Yeah, yeah yeah," Seifer muttered, waving his hand and yawning. Queen Almasy smiled at her son, then glared at her husband who sent her a sheepish glance. Noticing the exchange, Seifer sat down between them and started on his meal of scrambled eggs and bacon.

                "What's up?" he mumbled as he was chewing.

                "Well, Seifer, my dear boy, remember that talk we had about marriage?" King Trepe asked quietly. Seifer grunted in reply.

                "Well…since you're at that age when a man starts looking for a woman's hand, and you've done squat to try to find that special someone, we-" King Trepe noticed the glare his wife was sending him "-**I** decided to pick out a suitable wife for you." Seifer continued to nod, eating his bacon. It took quite a while for him to process the information. Suddenly, he started choking on his bacon. Queen Almasy gave him a concerned stare, patting him hard on the back. When Seifer had finally digested the bacon properly, he glared at his father.

                "WHAT?!" Fuujin and Raijin winced, and decided to leave the room.

                "Well, I don't think you'd care that much about who your wife would be. We just want you to have a wife so that she can help take care of the kingdom when you're handed the throne."

                "What do ya mean, I don't care who my fucking wife is?!" Queen Almasy gasped at his language. She stood up.

                "You see, Erif?! You should've given Seifer more time to choose his wife! And now you had to go find some princess for him without my approval! What is it with you men! It's always rush, rush, rush!"

                "Calm down, Blaize." King Trepe said, standing up, also.

                 "Calm down?! Why should SHE be calming down?! **SHOULDN'T I**?! I'M THE ONE FORCED INTO THIS STUPID MARRIAGE!" Seifer hollered, the rage flaming in his eyes.

                "I'm sorry, Seifer, but unless you marry a princess from another kingdom soon,---" King Trepe was cut off by his wife's warning glare.

                "What?! What is going to happen?!" Seifer yelled, rage mixed with curiosity.

                "Nothing you need to worry about, my dear," Queen Almasy replied, glaring at her husband. Seifer felt like he was going to explode. This wasn't fair. He wouldn't do it.

                "I refuse to marry some pansy princess," Seifer stated in a cold voice, green eyes blazing.

                "You have to marry Princess Trepe," King Almasy said, " I already agreed with King Trepe."

                "ARGH! My own old man! Turning against me! Thanks! Thanks for all this shit!" Seifer said in a dangerous voice, storming out of the dining hall with a bang. King Almasy sighed with relief and slumped back into his chair.

                "Well, that went better than planned, don't you think so, Blaize?"

HEARTILLY KINGDOM:

TIMBER

                Rinoa picked up a delicate flower from the garden, turning it over in her pale hand. She sniffed it daintily, smiling as she did so. Today was a perfect day. Nothing could possibly go wrong. Putting the flower behind her ear, she skipped forward and sat on a stone bench next to a crystal waterfall, admiring the scenery. Timber was such a beautiful place. It was just too bad that not everyone got to see the beauty of it all. She sighed sadly and turned the other way, where she saw Selphie running up to her, waving frantically. Concerned, Rinoa stood up and walked towards the short brunette.

                "What's up, Selphie?" Rinoa questioned as Selphie came to a stop, hands on her knees and panting.

                "Bad news, Rin. Super-mega-big-boom bad news," the usual perky girl replied, her sparkling green eyes wide with fear. Rinoa frowned as Selphie started to look at the soles of her boots. That was always a sign that something majorly bad was going to happen.

                "Selphie. Calm down. You can tell me. I can handle it," Rinoa said after a few moments, slightly afraid. Selphie looked at her friend sadly, hesitating before she spoke.

                "Rin, I was walking by your parents' bedroom when I heard them talking. I decided to eavesdrop and I heard something about an arranged marriage and some Leonhart dude. You can only guess." Rinoa gasped, her pretty face terrified.

                "No! My parents would never do such a thing! My mom would never allow that!" Rinoa said defiantly, convinced that Selphie had gotten their words mixed up. Selphie shook her head.

                "I heard Julia say that it was probably for the best since…er…I didn't catch it all but I heard that much." Rinoa sat back down on the bench, wide eyes staring at the stone floor of the garden. Everything didn't seem so perfect anymore. Her hands started to shake as silent tears fell. The flower on her ear fell gracefully down and landed softly in the waterfall before the falling water drowned it. Selphie sat down next to her depressed friend and comforted her to the best of her ability, crying softly with her.

                "It'll be ok, Rin. This Leonhart guy won't be that bad. Julia wouldn't do that to you." Rinoa hiccupped and nodded her head slowly. She hoped so.

LEONHART KINGDOM:  
ESTHAR

_                Strike. Block. Move. Strike. Jump. Turn. Strike._ Lion Heart came crashing to the ground as Squall's attack was deflected. Growling, Squall darted his eyes to his weapon, then back to his foe. His opponent smirked evilly, aiming their gun at him. Deciding to take the risk, Squall jumped into the air and did a perfect somersault before landing behind the man, snatching his gunblade. His opponent didn't have a chance to blink before Squall tripped him and aimed the lethal weapon to his neck.

                "Surrender," Squall said coldly.

                "Alright, alright, man! Chill! You win! Sheesh!" Irvine said, defeated. Squall gave him an icy smirk, sheathing Lionheart and helping his friend up. Irvine dusted himself off and glared at Squall.               

                "Man! Why do ya always have to win?!" he said in an annoyed fashion. Squall shrugged. Smiling, Irvine rolled his eyes.

                "Ah, I'll get ya next time! C'mon let's go eat!" Squall nodded and followed his friend towards the dining hall where the smell of roasted chicken, bacon, eggs, and many other fresh foods waited. Irvine sniffed the aroma and rubbed his stomach.

                "Damn! I didn't know I was so hungry!" he complained as his stomach growled. Squall chuckled and entered the dining hall. A messenger came up to him.

                "Sir, your parents would like you to meet them in their room immediately," the young girl said, bowing respectfully. Squall nodded and turned towards Irvine.          

                "You go ahead and eat. I'll be back," he said, going back outside. He headed towards the main hall and climbed up the grand staircase, his face emotionless. He entered his parents' room and immediately received a hug from Raine and a watery smile from Laguna. 

                "Who died?" Squall asked. Laguna laughed sheepishly and Raine squeezed him tighter.

                "No one died, Squall. We have very good news for you!" Queen Leonhart replied, smiling. Squall just stood there, impatiently waiting for them to continue.

                "No need to thank me, son! I've arranged a marriage for you! Her name is Miss Rinoa Heartilly from the Timber Kingdom!" Laguna said, smiling broadly. Squall was taken aback.

                "……..What." 

                "That's right, Squall. Your father and I have decided that it's time for you to find a wife. We are getting old, and if something happens to us, you and your spouse will be able to take care of the kingdom for us," Raine said, hoping her son wouldn't get angry. Squall continued to stare blankly at his parents, not knowing what to say.

                _This is just a dream_, he told himself. Too many chocobo creampuffs can make you go insane. The more he tried to convince himself, the more reality smacked him in the face.                

                "I….I have to go," Squall said, trying to control his anger. He couldn't believe that his parents would do this to him. Laguna's broad smile faltered and Raine nodded in understanding. Squall stormed out of the room and headed towards the training area to blow off some…a lot of steam. He'd be there for hours.

A/N- And there's the first chapter! So, whaddaya think? Horrible? Lame? Ok? Too weird? Tell me! I hope that you guys like this story! Please review so that I know what you think!


	2. Chapter Two

A/N-Thank you for the reviews! I hope that this story is doing good! Please please please always review once you finish reading a chapter! I'll be VERY happy! ^___^ hee hee. Onward! Oh yeah, is Rajin spelled Rajin or Raijin?!

THE FIRST FINAL FANTASY VIII KINGDOM STORY EVER!

MOSHI MOSHI MAI

Chapter Two

TREPE KINGDOM:  


BALAMB

                "Can you believe this, Zell?!" Quistis said for the third time, covering her miserable face with her hands. Zell frowned and patted his friend consolingly on the back.

                "It'll be ok, Quis. Don't worry so much. If it makes you feel any better, your parents decided to let me come along so that you won't feel lonely," the blonde martial artist replied. Quistis looked up at him and grinned.

                "Really? Well, that's one plus. My best friend is coming with me." Zell smiled in return.

                "Well, since we're leaving in two days, let's start packing!" he said, pumping his fist into the air. Quistis laughed and nodded.

                "Ok, then. Hey, Zell? Do you know anything about this Seifer Salary?"

                "It's Almasy, Quis. Well, I heard that they're the second most powerful kingdom in the world, next to the Esthar Kingdom, of course. The two kingdoms are rivals. They're always neck and neck. Well anyways, Esthar's king is called Laguna Loire, his wife is Raine Leonhart, and their son's name is Squall Leonhart. They say that he's not really a social butterfly, kinda creepy, weird, and uncomfortable to be around, you get my drift? And then there's the Almasy Kingdom. King Almasy, AKA Erif Almasy, and his queen, Blaize Almasy. And of course, your future pain-in-the-ass hubbie, Seifer Almasy," Zell responded, making a face. Quistis laughed.

                "Why's he a pain in the ass?" she questioned.

                "Don't you read the Balamb Chronicles, Quis? He's a spoiled brat. Very mean, haughty, arrogant, and for some reason, he's number two on the Centra Hottie Rankers Show. Despite all that, he's famous because one, he's a prince, and two, he wields a gunblade named Hyperion. Not many people use that weapon anymore besides him and Squall Leonhart. Which reminds me, they fought against each other once when they were enrolled at Balamb Garden. Each got one hell of a nasty scar that mirrors its brother right smack dab between the eyes. Freaky, eh?" Zell finished. 

                "Well then. That assures me that my life is officially going downhill," Quistis said sadly, stopping her packing. Zell gave her a sympathetic look. Suddenly, Quistis grabbed her precious Save the Queen off of her drawer and turned to Zell.

                "H-hey! Don't take your anger out on me!" Zell said frantically, knowing just how drastic of a blow her whip could do.

                "Silly, I'm going to go work out. You coming?" Quistis said, rolling her eyes. Zell laughed, relieved. 

                "Alright, Ice Queen. Just let me get Ehrgeiz he replied, leaving her room. As soon as the door closed, Quistis fell back onto her creamy peach bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

                "Man, life's a drag," she whispered, closing her eyes. She stayed like that for a few minutes, waiting for her friend to come back inside. Deciding to start packing while she waited, she opened her suitcase and shoved in her casual wear and battle outfits. After a few minutes passed, Zell reentered the room, grinning.

                "Let's go, Quis! I already packed!" he said cheerfully, sprinting down the long hallway, down the stairs, and through the golden glass doors. Laughing, Quistis followed her energetic friend outside and walked with him towards the beach. They fought side by side all day, working on new moves that they read in the Combat King magazines and drawing magic spells. At the end of the day, the two collapsed on the sand, spraying the brown diamonds all over the place.

                "Oof! What a day!" Zell said tiredly, in a spread eagle position, staring up at the darkening sky.

                "Hmm," Quistis replied, sighing as the wind cooled her sweaty face.  The sun disappeared from view and stars sprinkled the sky, suspended in thin air. The two shared a comfortable silence and after a few more minutes, Zell stood up and reached down to help his friend up, grinning.

                "We better go! We don't want your parents to throw a cow if you're home before curfew, now do we?" he teased, laughing. Quistis smiled and slapped his hand away, dusting herself off.

                "Yeah, yeah," she said playfully. Quistis took one last look at the sky. She then noticed a twinkling constellation in the shape of a heart.

                "Hey, Zell! Look! It's the True Love Constellation. Hey, how does that superstition go again?" she questioned, staring at the twinkling heart with her blue orbs. Zell looked up at the sky and grinned.

                "Just remember it's like mistletoe. When two people look at that constellation at the exact same time and they're soul mates, the constellation is supposed to twinkle a whole bunch, so you know that your true love really is somewhere out there," he said. Quistis smiled also, and then turned to Zell.

                "Hey, did you look at it the same time that I did?"

                "W-what?! No, I didn't. You don't think that-"

                "NO! I was just wondering!"

                "Riiiight. Quistis, you weirdo, you!"

                "Who ya calling 'weirdo', rooster head!"

                "ROOSTER HEAD?!" And the two continued to bicker as they walked towards the castle.

ALMASY KINGDOM:

DOLLET

                Fuujin and Raijin followed quietly behind Seifer who was still fuming, shoving maids and butlers who were in his way. He reached his room and grabbed Hyperion, swinging it around furiously. Raijin backed away considerably, nervously watching the gunblade. Seifer then held his weapon at his shoulder, stomping out of the room before turning around and glaring at his posse.

                "Do you need an invitation?! C'mon!" he yelled. The two obediently followed the blonde man, sympathetic looks on their faces. Seifer walked towards the beach and sat down on the shore, sinking Hyperion to the soft sand and silently watching the ocean as the breeze's fingers combed his hair.

                "Why do I have to get married?! I don't even know her?! She's probably a girly-girl who's afraid of some dumb T-Rexaur! Tch. I'm not getting married. I'M NOT GETTING MARRIED! YOU HEAR THAT JUSTICE TRIP!" Seifer screamed, hearing his voice echoing over the waves.

                "QUISTIS TREPE," Fuujin corrected, waving her index finger.

                "Psh. Potato, Potato, Tomato, Tomato," Seifer replied, grunting

.

                "Besides, you're yelling in the wrong direction, ya know?! Balamb is east to Dollet, ya know?!" Raijin said, waving his finger also. At the same time, Raijin received a kick to his shin and a very loud " SHUT UP!" from Seifer.  As Raijin wailed in agony, Seifer turned back towards the waves, watching the sun slowly sink below the surface of the water. Deep in his thoughts, Seifer started to picture his fiancée. What did she look like? What was she like? He scratched his head, erasing all the possibilities. 

                "DARK," came Fuujin's soft voice behind him. Seifer looked up at the sky, and sure enough, stars started to appear in the sky. A bright show of stars caught his attention and he stared at it. He could make out a picture of a heart. Weird.

                "Hey, do you guys see that heart constellation?" he asked roughly, pointing in its direction.

                "Oh, ya! I know what it is, ya know?! It's the True Love Constellation, ya know?!" Raijin replied, smiling broadly.

                "TRUE LOVE TWINKLES," Fuujin added. Seifer looked at the constellation again, and sure enough, it was brightly twinkling. Who could be watching that constellation with him? He felt an odd sensation bleed through his veins and his heart felt warmer. Weird. 

                "You okay, Seifer? It's only a superstition, ya know?!" Raijin cut through his thoughts. 

                "Huh? Oh, whatever. Yeah," Seifer responded, getting up. He dusted the sand off of his tall form and turned to his posse. "Let's go, guys. I'm starving."

                "AGREED."

                "Yeah, ya know?!"

HEARTILLY KINGDOM:

TIMBER

                "Let's go inside, Rinoa. Maybe you can change your parents' minds?" Selphie asked, hoping to cheer up her best friend. Sniffling, the raven-haired beauty looked up and sent the brunette a watery smile before nodding. Standing up, the two walked out of the garden and inside the huge castle. The sweet aroma of food was wafting through the air as the two entered the dining hall. Caraway and Julia were seated across from each other, deep in discussion. They sensed Rinoa's presence and immediately turned in her direction.

                "Come, sit, my dear. Your father and I have something to tell you," Julia spoke softly. She was wearing an elegant ruby red grown with a see-through matching sash. Her hair was fashioned into a simple bun, decorated with crystals that looked like shimmering water. Sensing that there would be an argument, Selphie excused herself from the room, telling Rinoa that she forgot to get something.

                "I already know," Rinoa said dully, slumping into her seat. Caraway observed his daughter carefully. She looked like she had been crying for quite some time. Her eyes were puffy and red, the tear stains were clearly visible, and her eyes told everything.

                "So, you know about our arrangement with Esthar's prince?" Caraway asked folding his arms. Rinoa sent him a disgusted glance.

                "How could you do this to me?! You didn't even have the decency to ask me! Out of all the nerve!" Rinoa nearly yelled, her voice shaking. 

                "Now, my dear. We had no choice. I'm—" Julia started, but she cut herself off, deciding not to burden her daughter more.

                " You're what, Mom? How could you be so selfish?!" Rinoa continued, fresh tears slipping from her eyes. Julia gave her daughter a hurt look, looking away. Caraway frowned.

                "We're not being selfish, my daughter. This is important. We wouldn't do this to you if it wasn't for...We have no choice," Caraway said, staring straight in her eyes. Hiccupping, Rinoa looked down, the shadows covering her face. She felt slightly ashamed about yelling at her mom. Fisting her hands, she looked at her father with a determined face.               

                "When do I leave?" she asked quietly. Smiling like there was no problem, Caraway spoke.

                "Ah, that's better. You leave in two days. I suggest you start packing." Rinoa felt like slapping her father. He had no idea just how much this hurt her to be married off without choosing who she loved. Sucking in her emotions, she stood up and left the room.

                "Aren't you going to eat, Rinoa?" Julia asked softly, clearly still upset.

                "No. I lost my appetite," Rinoa replied coldly, leaving the room.

LEONHART KINGDOM:

ESTHAR

                Irvine could tell that something was wrong. Squall didn't come back inside the dining hall, so he was left to eat by himself. After he finished his dinner, he left to go find his friend. After half an hour, Irvine finally found him training with his gunblade in the Training Area, fighting off some Grats and Glacial Eyes. After Squall finished them off, Irvine ran up to him before he could walk off and tapped him on the shoulder.

                "Dude, what's wrong?" the cowboy asked concernedly. Squall stared at Irvine blankly before walking ahead.

                "My parents arranged for me to marry a princess in the Heartilly Kingdom," Squall said emotionlessly. Irvine almost fell to the ground, grabbing Squall's shoulder for balance.

                "**_W-what?!_** That's crazy!" Irvine said, staring wide-eyed at his friend. Squall shrugged carelessly.

                "I don't think anyone cares what I think. It's my parents' decision anyways. I must stand behind them 

always, no matter what," Squall finished staring at the trembling bush in front of them. Standing in stunned silence, Irvine recovered a few seconds later in time to see a T-Rexaur emerge from the maze of trees.

                "Wait. You mean you don't care squat about who you marry?! You're twisted!" Irvine said, bringing out his Exeter from his side. Squall made a fighting pose also and lurched forward, hitting the beast square in the eye, ignoring Irvine's protests. The T-Rexaur screamed in agony, bringing its hands to its face.

                Irvine took the chance to shoot the dinosaur in the chest, turning to face Squall as the T-Rexaur roared, attacking blindly.

                "C'mon, Squall! Don't you feel anything? Angry?! Your parents just married you off to some Heartilly chick and you don't care?!" Irvine yelled over the ruckus. Squall replied by slicing the T-Rexaur's neck wide open with such force that blood sprayed everywhere.

                "See?! You are angry! You're fucking killing that T-Rexaur! And it's only been your second turn!" Irvine cried out, making a disgusted squeak as the blood covered him. Squall didn't seem to mind the blood, focusing on his target. His eyes had turned an unnatural, frightening color, white mist swirling with the shadows in his eyes. He jumped back from the T-Rexaur, impassively watching it stomp around in pain. The dinosaur finally screeched one last time and fell to the ground, dead. 

                "Damn," Irvine breathed. He started to claw at his face and hair, complaining. "I got all this blood stuck to my face!" Squall chuckled, bringing his right arm up to clear some blood away from his face also. 

                "I guess I'm just a little angry," he spoke quietly, staring at the red goop in his right glove.

                "Well, I'd like to see you raging mad," Irvine replied sarcastically.

                "So, are you going to her palace or is she coming to yours?" 

                "Ours, of course. The prince always has to stay at his residence while the princess arrives. It's tradition," Squall replied nonchalantly, turning around to leave the Training Area.

                "Oh right. My bad," Irvine said, rolling his eyes. " Well, I'm gonna wash this crap offa me, so I'll see ya later." Squall nodded as Irvine walked away before continuing his trek towards his room. Opening the door, he entered his room and walked into the palatial bathroom. It was almost as big as his room. The walls, tub, and floor were made from white marble. The mirror was made from Shiva's crystal shards, and the towel rack was golden, shimmering elegantly. He tossed his clothes off and stepped into the shower. A maid would be coming up to change his clothes. 

Grabbing his custom-made shampoo, he lathered up his hair and washed out all the blood. After cleaning himself until the smell was fully gone, he stepped out of the shower and grabbed a soft white towel from the golden rack. After he finished drying himself off, he slipped into his silky pajamas and combed his unruly chestnut hair. It gleamed healthily under the light's glow. He gave a satisfied grunt and walked out of the bathroom, tossing himself onto his bed. He slid under the covers and sighed softly, staring up at the glass dome ceiling. The stars were shining brightly on the blue night sky, casting a dreamy affect. Closing his eyes, Squall tried to picture what this Heartilly girl would look like. Would she be snobby? Pretty? Weird? Stupid? Hell, why did he care? Shaking his head, he clapped his hands. The lights turned off and he was blanketed with darkness. Turning over in his bed, he noticed a small pink note on his nightstand. Picking it up, he read:

_Hey Littly Bro!_

 _I heard about the whole marriage arrangement! So sorry! But I heard that Princess Heartilly is really pretty and nice. She has a stubborn heart, though, just like you! ^_^ Hope you two get along fine! I won't be here when she comes because Dad's making me go to some Centra conference as a representative, but I'll get to see her!  Good luck!_

_Love,_

_Ellone___

                Smiling slightly, Squall placed the note back on the nightstand and closed his eyes, falling asleep.

A/N- Woot! Please review! Thanks a bunch!

Moshi Moshi Mai


	3. Chapter Three

A/N-Hey everyone! Thanks for the reviews! I've been having a horrible day today! ( 9/3/03) I got a mega bad grade on my band hearing TWICE ( MAJOR GRADES!), I feel so distant from all of my friends, I have a horrible cough that won't go away, and on the bus ride home, my bus driver got mad at me because I didn't tell her to go a little farther up the street to get to my house when I did tell her. Then she followed me with the whole bus, yelling at me as I walked down the street toward my cul-de-sac. *sniffle* If you guys could, cheer this authoress up by telling me something worse than this! I would appreciate it so that I know I'm not alone in the world. Thanks!

THE FIRST FINAL FANTASY VIII KINGDOM STORY EVER!

Chapter Three

                Today was the day. Quistis was going to the Almasy Kingdom. Nervously, Quistis smoothed imaginary wrinkles on her silk dress and checked her worried reflection in the mirror. She then turned to her right and faced Zell who was jumping up and down on the plush red sofa, having a good time.

                "What time is it, Zell?" Quistis asked for the third time.

                "How many times are you going to ask me before you're satisfied, Quis? It's 3 pm!" Zell hollered back, looking out the window. The two of them were in one of the Trepe Kingdom trains, and going on a long ride to Dollet on the underwater transportation. Grumbling, Quistis turned away and looked out her side of the mirror. The scenery whooshed by quickly, but she could make out different creatures swimming in the endless sea. Sighing, she rested her chin in her hands, which were gloved in a matching white silk with pink flowers decorating the sides.

                "Why me?" she complained.

                "Don't sweat it, Quis. Maybe Seifer won't be that bad, though I doubt it," Zell muttered.

                "Thanks for the support, Zell."

                "Anytime!" Quistis sighed again. She leaned back into the comforting seat and closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. Deciding to take a nap, she dozed off. 

*****DREAM*****

                Everything was pitch black. She couldn't see her own two hands in front of her. She ran to her left, then to her right. After what seemed like countless hours, she collapsed on the invisible floor and hugged her knees to her chest, sobbing. 

                "I'm so lost," she cried, the tears slipping through her fingers.

                "I'll be your knight…" a whisper that was clearly male came. Quistis looked up, startled. That voice, it was so near, yet so far, so familiar, yet not. Like she had known it a long time ago, another world ago. It came from everywhere.

                "Who are you?" she whispered, standing up.

                "I'll be your knight. Wait for me," came the voice again, fading away

.

                "Don't leave me! I don't want to be alone!" Quistis cried, running forward. Her voice echoed in the hollow place, then silence resumed. Then everything faded to white.

*******

                "Quistis! Yo, wake up!" Zell hollered, shaking his friend vigorously. Quistis opened her eyes and immediately felt dizzy as Zell continued to frantically shake her.

                "I'm awake! I'm awake!" Quistis yelled, her head rolling back and forth.

                "Geez! You sleep like a bear! Tch! There was all this drool coming out from your mouth and you were snoring so loud, I'm surprised it didn't part the hair on my head!" Zell exclaimed. He imitated her, lazily resting his head on his shoulder and hanging his tongue out, rolling his eyes up into his head. Quistis laughed and playfully smacked him on the arm.        

                "I'm sure," she said. Grinning, Zell twisted himself back into a sitting position before standing up, grabbing his bags from the compartment above him.

                "They said that we'd be arriving in Dollet in about a minute so I suggest that you refresh yourself while you can," Zell said, walking out the door.

                "Where are you going?" Quistis called out, taking out her compact mirror.

                "Hotdogs no d!" came his short reply. Chuckling, Quistis fixed her long blonde tresses and smoothed her dress again. Remembering her dream, she leaned back again and contemplated it. _That was one freaky  and frightening dream! I wonder what it was all about? Oh well, no use pondering about my dreams. They never make sense anyway. Heh, that reminds of the time I had the odd dream with the chocobo and the Blue Dragon…_

                "Dollet is 45 seconds away, Ms. Trepe. Would you like anything?" a maid came in, curtsying and interrupting the pretty blonde. Quistis politely shook her head. When the maid had left, she walked towards the big window on the other side of the room and placed her arms on the sill, curiously looking at the scenery. 

                The plains were alive with flowers and fresh green grass, and in the distance she could see two friends fighting a monster and doing a victory dance as it was defeated. Smiling, Quistis looked ahead and saw the lights of Dollet shining in warm greeting at her. 

                Zell came back in at that moment, holding a plateful of steaming hotdogs and gobbling them greedily.

                "How do you do that?" Quistis asked, amazed and disgusted at the same time.

                "Do what?" Zell asked through a mouthful, stuffing three hotdogs in his mouth.

                "Ugh. Never mind," Quistis replied, feeling faint.

                "5,4,3,2,1. We have arrived at Dollet Station, Ms. Trepe and Mr. Dincht. You will now be escorted to a limousine and taken to the Almasy Kingdom. Your bags have already been taken to the kingdom, Ms. Trepe. We hope you enjoyed the ride," came the announcer's voice.

                A guard entered the room a few seconds later and bowed respectfully at the princess and her friend. Quistis walked up to him and nodded. Turning, the guard started to walk with Quistis and Zell in tow. When they were out of the long train, Quistis breathed in the fresh air and sighed, stretching her tired muscles.

                "Ah, fresh air," she mumbled.

                "The limousine waits over here," the guard spoke, leading them towards a black stretch limo. Nodding, Quistis and Zell climbed into the spacious vehicle. The guard closed the door and left. Quistis observed the inside. The couches were made from the finest leather; there was a mini-bar off to one side, and a 52" plasma screen TV popped up from the center of the floor. 

                "Cool! Channel 22," Zell said. The TV changed channels and soon a show came on. "Booya! My favorite show is on!" Zell said excitedly as he slumped into a comfortable position and watched Rurouni Kenshin. Quistis chuckled. 

                "The Almasy Kingdom is twenty minutes away. Please make yourselves comfortable," came the computer's mechanical voice. Sighing, Quistis tucked a strand of stray blonde hair behind her ear and looked out her tinted window. Dollet seemed like a nice place. It sort of reminded her of Winhill, with just a little more city.  Stores crowded the streets as well as shoppers. A harbor sat off in the distance, with a few yachts docked. A man was reading the newspaper peacefully under a sakura tree.

                "This seems like a nice place, huh, Zell?" Quistis asked, her back facing her friend.

                "Shh! Wait till commercial!" came Zell's reply as he put a finger to his lips. Rolling her eyes, Quistis quietly watched the city and its people. After a while, the kingdom came into view. 

                "Wow," Quistis breathed.

                "We are now entering the Almasy Kingdom. It will take approximately seven minutes to reach the front, so please stay seated. Thank you," the computer spoke. The TV on which Zell was excitedly watching his show changed to a map of the Almasy Kingdom.

                "NOOOO!!! It was just getting to the good part! What the hell happened to Yahiko?!" Zell screamed frantically, clutching his head.

                 "Calm down, Zell. I'm sure that there'll be a rerun of it," Quistis said, smiling slightly. Zell frowned and crossed his arms, muttering, " Tch."

                "This is the Almasy Kingdom map. You will be staying here," the computer said, indicating their rooms with a red arrow. 

                "Cool! Hey Quis, I think they gave me a bigger room," Zell whispered, recovering quickly. Quistis smacked him on the head playfully and turned back to the screen.

                "If you have any questions with where everything else is, place your finger on the room." 

                "Ok then," Quistis said. She lightly placed her right index finger on a large room near their rooms.

                "Prince Seifer Almasy's room." 

                "Duh, Quis!" Zell said, rolling his eyes.

                "Hmph," Quistis replied. Zell _lightly_ shoved her aside and pressed his index finger on a room in the west wing.

                "King and Queen's Chambers." Growling, Quistis pushed her friend roughly to the side and regained her composure, lightly pressing a room.

                "Inside Practicing Arena. This room contains weapons of all sorts where you can train. The Monster Area is on the right. To access the outside grounds, press the room again."

                "Oh cool! I wanna see!" Zell said excitedly.

                "Hold on, let's finish the inside first," Quistis said wisely. By then Zell had already pressed the room again.

                "Zell!"  Quistis said, frowning.

                " Outside Area of Kingdom. This includes a two acre garden, ten acre Training Area, a pool, tennis court, spa, and much more. If you have any questions on where everything is, press the area." Zell squealed oddly with excitement and pressed blindly.

                "Training Area. This area contains monsters of all levels so be careful upon entering."

                "Zell, move. We're going back to the inside of the kingdom," Quistis said, pushing a button on the bottom right that said " Inside Kingdom".

                "No way! I want to check out the outside!" Zell whined, pushing " Outside Kingdom".

                "Stop it," Quistis replied, pushing her button.

                "You!" Zell retorted, pushing his button. Push, push, push, push. The screen flashed back and forth rapidly. Suddenly, the computer spoke, " System Malfunction. Reboot."  The screen went black.

                With wide blue eyes, Zell spoke in a childish manner, "Oooo, yoo in big twouble, Quis!"

                "Why's it my fault?!"

                "You pressed the button last." Tiny sparks of electricity came from the screen, followed by a thick spray of smoke. Coughing, Quistis waved her hands in front of her. She could hear Zell screaming and running into things. Glass smashed the floor as he ran into the bar. She could hear him trip over the couch and land with a huge THUD on the floor.

                "Where are you, Quis?" came his frantic voice as he stood up once more.

                "Stay still, Zell! You're breaking everything!" Quistis sighed in annoyance.

                "W-we ha-ave arrived in front o-of the A-alm-asy King-gdom," the computer spoke slowly in a cut-up voice.

                "Well, what a grand entrance we're going to make," Quistis said sarcastically as the smoke cleared. She could make out Zell clutching his throat in an exaggerative fashion, his eyes bugging out.

                "I think you'll be okay, Zell," Quistis walked up to him and patted his back. Zell breathed in deeply and sat up from his position on the floor, grinning.

                "Do you really think so?"  Quistis decided to ignore his question and started to pick up the fallen shards of glass from the floor.

                "Help me clean up, Zell."

**************

                "THEY'RE HERE," Fuujin said, looking out the window. Seifer looked up from his Hyperion, frowning.

                "Good luck, ya know?!" Raijin said, patting his friend hard on the back. Seifer didn't reply. He stood up and walked out of his room, slamming the door. Fuujin shook her head sadly.

                "POOR SEIFER," she said.

                "He'll be ok, Fuuj, ya know? Seifer always makes it out ok, ya know?" Raijin said, grinning. Fuujin nodded and turned away from the window.

                "LET'S GO." Raijin nodded in agreement and followed his silver-haired friend out the door. They met up with Seifer in the grand hall where he was waiting in between his parents, arms behind his back. He was wearing a formal uniform, consisting of a royal blue coat and pants. Red crosses were on each side of his coat and gold buttons streamed down the uniform. He looked like a military general.

                "I look like a freak," he muttered, making sure his parents heard him. Bickering could be heard down the hallway. It sounded like a woman and man's voice. He could faintly make out something that sounded like 'obnoxious' and 'stupid'. Confused, he strained his ears to listen harder. The voices became louder and then suddenly died down.

                "May I introduce to you, Prince Almasy of Dollet, Princess Quistis Trepe of Balamb," the announcer said, bowing with flourish. Nervousness overtook Seifer and he narrowed his eyes as the silence continued. Then, he could hear footsteps approaching. A woman with honey-blonde hair that reached a little past her shoulders and dark blue eyes entered the grand hall. She was wearing a white silk sleeveless dress that had pretty pink flowers adorning the sides with matching gloves. She was also wearing a sash. It was obvious that she was nervous. As Seifer looked closer, he could swear to Hyne he saw dust in her hair, but it disappeared as quickly as he saw it. He had to admit that she was pretty for a princess, but that didn't mean anything. Her eyes darted left and right and finally landed on him, freezing. 

                He smirked arrogantly at her and her eyes widened before narrowing. She stopped in front of him, her misty blue eyes cold and daring.

                "Hello," she spoke. He didn't say anything. Suddenly, his mother pinched him on the arm hard and he nearly yelled, but held it down and said a greeting back stiffly.

*********

                After Quistis and Zell were finished cleaning up the mess, they had to explain to the guard and driver what exactly happened. As they were walking down the hall, they had a little argument as to whose fault it was that the computer malfunctioned.

                "Well you see, sir, I was trying to find where all the rooms were and then this obnoxious friend of mine decided to check out the outside. So I pressed **Inside Kingdom** and he pressed **Outside Kingdom**. I told him to stop and he wouldn't so it's his fault that the computer got messed up," Quistis said, glaring at her friend who frowned back.

                "Yeah right! It's your fault and you know it, Quis! If you had just let me explore the outside, then the stupid computer wouldn't have blown up in my face!"

                "You exaggerate too much. It didn't explode. Smoke just came out of it!"

                "That's what you think!"

                "That's what I know!"

                "You don't know squat!"

                "Are you calling me stupid?!"

                "Maybe!"

                "Ok, we'll finish this later, Ms. Trepe and Mr. Dincht," the guard said, rubbing his temples.

                 "May I introduce to you, Prince Almasy of Dollet, Princess Quistis Trepe of Balamb," came the announcer's voice. Quistis stopped talking and froze. She had completely forgotten why she was here. Just around this hall was her fiancé, her future husband. Zell forgot about the fight and patted her consolingly on the back.

                "You can do it, Quis." Nodding, Quistis dusted herself off and walked shakily towards the grand hall. As she entered the grand hall, she looked around, anywhere but the prince. She saw the king, who was observing her quietly and the queen who was smiling warmly. She then forced herself to look at the prince. Her eyes landed on him and she found she couldn't take them off. He was a handsome man with his emerald, blazing eyes and slick blonde hair with stray hairs sticking out. She noticed his rugged scar and remembered what Zell had said about his duel with Squall Leonhart.

                She noticed he was smirking in a conceited manner and frowned, narrowing her eyes. _He's so full of_ _himself!_ she thought nastily. She stopped in front of him and never broke eye contact.

                "Hello," she spoke quietly, waiting patiently for his reply. The prince just continued to stare at her, smirking. Suddenly, a pained expression came over him and Quistis became concerned before he glared at her and replied stiffly.

                "What the-shit, I mean hello," Seifer said. Quistis glared back at him. She could tell already that she wouldn't like him one bit.

                 Seifer frowned at her. She was quite a puzzle. Usually girls would be swooning at his feet as he kicked them aside, but this one didn't seem the least bit interested in him. It didn't matter anyway. He didn't like her and she didn't like him. They were already agreeable.

                "We'll leave you two alone so you'll be better acquainted," the king said, smiling. He left with his queen and Fuujin and Raijin followed the latter grinning broadly at the newcomer. As soon as they were out of hearing range, Seifer turned back to his fiancé and glared at her.

                "Look, princess, I don't like you and I don't want you here, so I suggest you stay out of my way," he spat harshly. Quistis didn't look fazed at all. She just continued to stare at him with her cold blue eyes. Suddenly, a blonde man came up to him, his blue eyes blazing.

                "What's your problem, Seifer?!" Zell said. Seifer's eyes widened marginally before he threw back his head and laughed.

                "Chicken-wuss?! Is that really you?!" Seifer asked, tears in his eyes.

                " WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?!!?!" Zell hollered, taking a fighting stance.

                "Chicken-wuss?" Quistis asked, clueless.

                "QUISTIS! DON'T CALL ME THAT?!! I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY FRIEND!!" Zell screamed.

                "What, he never told you? Me and him go way back. Balamb Garden. Oh, those were the days," Seifer said, chuckling.

                "You make it sound like we're all buddy-buddy, you turd!" Zell spat.                

                "Don't call me that," Seifer said, his behavior suddenly changing. His eyes hardened and he shoved Zell harshly to the ground, a menacing sneer on his face.

                "You stay outta my way, too, you got that?" he glared at Quistis, storming away. Zell glared after Seifer, standing up.

                "Man! I hate him!" Zell said.

                "Can you please tell me what's going on?!" Quistis said exasperatedly, lost.

                "I went to Balamb Garden when he was there. I knew Squall pretty well, also. Seifer used to pick on Squall all the time just because Squall made SeeD and he kept on screwing up. Since I hung around Squall, Seifer didn't like me and he picked out a nice name for me," Zell said, making a face.

                "Oh," Quistis said, smiling slightly.

                "Why are you smiling, Quis? It isn't funny."      

                "Sorry."

A/N-And that's it. I hope you guys liked it! Please tell me what you think! Bye!

Moshi Moshi Mai


	4. Chapter Four

A/N-YO! I'm glad that you guys liked my sucky story! Continue to have faith in my and review! Thanks a bunchos! I'm sorry I haven't updated! I just have no inspiration, but reading you guys' reviews cheered me up, so I'll give it a go!

THE FIRST FINAL FANTASY VIII KINGDOM STORY EVER!

Moshi Moshi Mai

Chapter Four

                "Well, today's the day," Rinoa said, sighing. She was in her room, lying on her bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Across from her, Selphie was humming a tune, twirling around.

                "Yep! At least I get to go with ya!" she chirped, slamming her suitcase shut.

                "Yeah. That's the only plus, Selphie. Don't get me wrong, I'm real glad that you're coming, but I still feel so sad, ya know?" Rinoa said, craning her head. Selphie nodded sympathetically and patted her raven-haired friend on the head.

                "It'll be okay, Rin! Besides, this Leonhart guy you're gonna marry can't be bad. Give him a chance!" the brunette said, trying to be positive.                

                "Yeah, I guess so," Rinoa muttered, sliding off of the bed gracelessly.

                "Well, our limo should be arriving soon! It's gonna be so cool! Esthar! Can you believe it?! The most high-tech city in the whole wide universe! And you're marrying the future king of it!" Selphie squealed. She dragged her friend out the door and down the grand staircase where they waited for a while.

                After five minutes, a limo pulled up and the girls climbed in. Rinoa took one last look at her home and sighed. This was really happening. She rested her chin in her hand and looked out the window, watching Timber fly by. She'd be away from this city for quite a while. Selphie, on the other side of the limo, had taken out her Chocobo-sticker-decorated CD player and was humming 'The Oath' loudly, her green eyes sparkling. 

                Rinoa saw the smiling people walking down the streets and a stray dog wagging its tail merrily. It looked as if all was right with the world. _And why shouldn't it be?_ Rinoa asked herself. Here she was, feeling sorry for herself when she should be smiling and having a good time because she'd get an experience she'd never forget. She convinced herself and grinned at Selphie. 

                She felt much better after reassuring herself and felt like the carefree girl she was once more. Timber faded away and soon the plane station came into view.

                 "Look, Rin! It's our plane!" Selphie said, clapping her hands together. Rinoa chuckled and nodded.             Their plane was very large. It was in the shape of a water dragon, gleaming in the sun. "Oh! I can't wait until we get on! I'm starved!" Selphie suddenly complained, rubbing her stomach. Rinoa rolled her eyes. After a few more minutes, the limo came to a stop and the driver offered a hand to the two ladies, escorting them to the train in each arm.

                "I hope you have a safe trip, Ms. Heartilly. And to you too, Ms. Tilmitt," the man said, smiling.  Rinoa and Selphie nodded their heads and climbed up the stairs to the plane. The door closed and they were inside.

                "Wow," Selphie breathed, taking in the plane's beauty. It was really fancy, for one. The walls were a ruby shade, a golden chandelier hung in the middle of the main room, and there were two maids and two butlers standing outside the kitchen, smiling.

                "Welcome, Princess and Selphie! We are headed towards Esthar! It will take approximately five hours to reach the Esthar Air station. I'll be your captain, Zone! A butler should escort you to your rooms at this time. That is all! Enjoy the flight and I hope we don't crash! Out!" came a cheery male voice. Rinoa laughed. Zone was a funny man.

                One of the butlers came up to the two of them and bowed.

                "Would you like to see your rooms or eat first?" he asked politely.

                "Let's put our stuff up first and then eat, ok Selphie?"

                "Sure!" The butler escorted them to their rooms.

                "Ms. Heartilly's room is this way," the butler spoke, pointing to a room at the end of the hallway. "And Ms. Tilmitt's is right across. The bathroom is over there, the spa is to the left of it, and the kitchens are back up that way."

                The girls said their thanks and hurried to their own rooms, quickly throwing their luggage onto the silky beds. Selphie came out of her room first and skidded to a halt outside of Rinoa's, where Rinoa was currently lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling.

                "C'mon Rin! Let's eat!" Selphie squealed, dragging her friend towards the dining room. Once they were inside the dining room, a maid came up to them and asked for their meal choices.

                "I'll have Balamb Fish, lightly squeezed with lemon, with alfredo and a lemonade!" Selphie said, handing the menu back to the maid.

                "Hmmm, I think I'll have the some ziti and a coke, please," Rinoa said, scanning the menu before returning it to the maid.

                "As you wish," the maid said politely before leaving the room.

                 "Geez! These people are so friggin polite!" Selphie said, amused. Rinoa nodded and crossed her arms, deciding to think about Esthar and her future life. She had heard about this Squall Leonhart before. He was supposed to be very anti-social, but a knockout. His weapon was a gunblade by the name of Lion Heart. That was about all she knew. She wondered if he'd like to battle her with her Shooting Star sometime.

                "Your dishes, ladies," the maid said, coming in through the double-glass doors. She set two silver trays in front of the girls. Rinoa and Selphie nodded in appreciation and lifted the lid, their mouths watering. As they dug into their meals, Rinoa decided to find some information of Squall Leonhart.

                "So Selphie, exactly how much do you know about Squall Leonhart?" Rinoa asked, stuffing some pasta into her mouth.

                "Er, well, let's see," Selphie said thoughtfully, her eyes rolling up, "He went to Balamb Garden when he was 13 and took up the gunblade. He and this other guy were the only gunbladers and so they were rivals. I forgot the other guy's name, but I heard that he wasn't close to a Mr. Nice Guy. Anyway, they got into a fight once and both got these scars slashed across their face that mirrors its brother. I personally find that creepy. Um, well I've seen what he looks like from the newspapers and I tell ya, Rin, you've got quite a catch! He has brown hair and bluish grayish thingish eyes. They seem to change a lot, like a storm," Selphie said, sighing, " I wish I could find a guy. You're so lucky, Rin."

                Rinoa remained silent, gently poking at her meal. When the two were finished, the maids cleared the table and the two friends decided to look around the huge plane. Selphie started to chat animatedly, inhaling deeply before another wave of words rushed out of her mouth. Rinoa nodded every now and then, half-listening to her hyperactive friend.

                "Yeah, and then I bumped into this guy and he was sooo cute! I think his name was--Hey, cool! They have a training area!" Selphie said suddenly, her gaze focused on a room. Curiously, Rinoa stepped forward and observed the training area. The floor was made from wood and was waxed to a gleaming perfection. The walls were lined with weapons such as bokkens ( wooden swords), shurikens ( Chinese throwing stars), seifuukus ( sharp bladed rings you put around your fingers, kinda like wolverine's weapon; also known as kunais), kodachis (twin blades), bos, escrima sticks, steel fans, holy staffs, and much more. Amazed, Rinoa carefully inspected each weapon and Selphie oohed and ahhed as her sparkling emerald eyes captured every detail of the room.

                "Hey, you wanna practice?" Selphie said suddenly, an evil glint in her shimmering eyes.

                "Huh? I don't know, Selphie. We could get hurt, plus I don't have a lot of cure spells," the raven-haired girl replied.

                "That's what THESE are for!" the perky brunette exclaimed, tossing Rinoa some armor from a closet that had been opened. Catching the armor easily, Rinoa observed it quietly. It was the same color as her favorite blue duster and there were metal rings around the elbow and knee area, and a sash was tied firmly to the waist area.

                "This kinda looks weird," Rinoa muttered. Selphie nodded in agreement and started putting on a green suit.

                "Well, I don't think it really matters! I haven't trained in a long time since—" Selphie stopped abruptly, a painful memory clearly visible in her eyes.

                "It's ok, Selphie. I understand," Rinoa said sadly, understanding immediately. The perky brunette was remembering about the missile attack on Trabia Garden four years ago.

                "Why does Galbadia have to be so cruel?" Selphie whispered, memories of the missile attack and her friends' dying screams flashing through her mind.

                "You fought bravely for your Garden, Selphie," Rinoa said, trying to console her friend. "You wanna talk about it?"

                "No," Selphie said, her eyes hardening, " let's just fight." Nodding, Rinoa put on her battle wear and stepped up to the weapon board, deciding what weapon to use.

                "Hmm? You're not gonna use your Shooting Star?" Selphie asked curiously as she pulled her prized Strange Vision from the side of her yellow sundress.

                "Nah, I want to practice mastering other weapons. A pinwheel isn't really that advanced," Rinoa replied softly, her hand lightly resting on the seifuukus. "I'll use these." Selphie's eyes widened as Rinoa took the lethal weapon off the rack. The blades shimmered under the light dangerously.

                "Are you sure you want to use those?" Selphie asked, afraid her friend's eye coordination might not be so good.

                "Don't worry, Selphie," Rinoa said, " I'll dull the blades." The princess covered the sharp blades with a leather conceal. Shrugging, Selphie made a battle stance and patiently waited for Rinoa to finish adjusting her grip on the seifuukus. Rinoa slipped the cool and smooth blade rings around each of her fingers, liking the feel of the blades. It felt like she was holding steel water. She breathed in deeply, curling her fingers and getting ready for the fight.

                With a cry, Selphie lunged forward and swung Strange Vision with great accuracy, her emerald eyes narrowed and concentrated, contrary to her usually happy-go-lucky nature. Rinoa easily evaded the swift attack and fell to the floor, quickly kicking Selphie's legs from under her. With a strangled cry, Selphie fell and landed gracelessly on her back. Her eyes widened and she rolled over to her left just in time to avoid Rinoa's blades. Eyes cold, Rinoa continued to jab at Selphie, narrowly missing her each time and crunching the wooden floor instead.

                As Rinoa lunged at her opponent once more, Selphie gave a wild cry and kicked her feet hard into Rinoa's middle. Feeling the wind knocked out of her, Rinoa gasped and stumbled slightly. Selphie had gotten up by then and launched her nunchakus at the princess, an evil sneer on her face. On instinct, Rinoa brought her hands to shield her face. The nunchakus squarely hit her hands and the seifuukus clanged angrily. Fingers throbbing, Rinoa snarled at the grinning brunette and gave a battle cry, jumping in the air and curling into a ball to protect herself. She then uncurled herself on the way down and raised one of her hands to strike Selphie.

                Holding a nunchaku in each hand, Selphie raised Strange Vision in front of her as Rinoa's weapon came wildly down, landing on the chain holding the nunchakus together. Growling, Rinoa added more pressure to her weapon, forcing Selphie down. 

                "You're so predictable," Selphie hissed. Rinoa's eyes widened as Selphie suddenly jumped away, Rinoa's own weight bringing her crashing to the floor. Bringing her head up, Rinoa saw Selphie smiling down at her.

                "Tee-hee! You lose!" the brunette squealed, her old self again. Smiling, Rinoa sat up and with the help of her grinning friend, and stood up.

                "That was a great battle, Selphie! I guess I need more practice!" Rinoa said, chuckling.

                "Naw! You're great with weapons, Rin! You just work on Shooting Star the most, that's all. I mean, I only work on Strange Vision and I barely use the twin blades!" Selphie said, reassuring her defeated friend. Nodding, Rinoa got up and the two friends left the training area.

                "We will be landing at the Esthar Air Station in approximately fifteen minutes Ms. Heartilly and Ms. Tilmitt!" came Zone's cheerful voice.

                "I'm gonna take a shower, ok?" Rinoa said.

                "That's not a bad idea!" Selphie replied. The girls went to their separate rooms and took a quick shower, dressing themselves as fast as possible. Rinoa put on her short white dress and heels, stumbling around the room. Then she sat down in front of her vanity mirror and adjusted her mother's ring necklace so that it was in the middle. Brushing her hair, she hummed her mother's favorite song (Eyes On Me) quietly. Breathing in deeply, she checked herself once more and then draped a white coat around herself before exiting the room.

                She walked outside of her room and knocked on Selphie's door. No answer. Confused, the raven-haired girl waited impatiently. Suddenly, the PA blasted and Selphie's perky voice could be heard.

                "Hey everyone! Captain Selphie at your ser---ow!"

  
                "Give that to me, Selphie! And go back downstairs! Rinoa's waiting!"

                "That's CAPTAIN Selphie to you---! Hey! Ow, ow! Ok, ok!" Some muttering could be heard and then Selphie reappeared downstairs, a frown on her cute face. Laughing, Rinoa joined her friend and draped an arm around her shoulder.

                "Don't worry, Selphie! I'll buy you your very own plane someday and you can fly it and no one will tell you otherwise!"  Selphie looked hopefully at her friend and smiled.

                "Thanks," she said quietly. Smiling softly, Rinoa nodded and the two girls walked to the main lobby and sat on the leather couches.

                "Three, two, one! We have landed! Please stay seated until further notice!" Zone's voice echoed throughout the plane. 

                Selphie squealed. " I can't believe this is actually happening! You're going to meet Squall Leonhart like VERY soon!" Rinoa smiled nervously.

                "Thanks for reminding me," she whispered. She squeezed her hands together and closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. Selphie squeezed her friend's shoulder reassuringly. The raven-haired princess smoothed out imaginary wrinkles on her dress and hummed softly, trying to stop herself from shaking so much.

                "Hey everyone! It is now safe to get off the plane! I hope you enjoyed the flight!" came Zone's voice.

                Rinoa and Selphie stood up, and with the help of their bodyguards, they stepped down the stairs and headed towards the waiting limousine. The escort opened the black door and ushered the two ladies in, nodding at them both before closing the door.

                "WOW! Esthar sure has some cool gadgets!" Selphie said cheerily, observing everything inside the limo with great interest. Rinoa had to agree with her. This was by far the most hi-tech limousine she had ever seen. The windows could be changed to look like a virtual reality of any choice, there was a large plasma flat screen TV that wasn't supposed to come out until a decade later, an automatic floor absorber, voice activated menus, and much much more. Selphie leaned towards the windows and turned her head towards her friend.

                "What view do you want?" she asked curiously. Rubbing her chin thoughtfully, she came up with a scene.

                "I remember my mom used to take me to a flower field every summer when I was little. It was filled with lush green grass that spread for miles and flowers of all kinds and colors, but mostly a brilliant shade of pink, and they would float around us like feathers. There was a calm breeze from the ocean nearby and you could taste a tinge of salt tickling your nose," she replied, closing her eyes and remembering the dreamy place.

                "Hey, that sounds pretty good! When was the last time you went there?"

                "Uh, I'd say the last time was when I was eight. Hyne, I wish I could go there again, but I don't know where it's located. I guess I'll have to ask my mom when I get back," Rinoa said sadly. Nodding, Selphie spoke into the voice activated scene changer and a flower field came up on the screen.

                "Whoa! It actually looks like we're driving through a flower field! Wow! This is pretty!" Selphie said delightedly. Rinoa looked outside at the virtual reality and sighed

.

                "It's almost like I'm there again," she whispered.

                "Greetings ladies. I will be your virtual host during this ride," came a voice. Confused, the girls looked around for the source of the voice. Suddenly, a hologram appeared next to Rinoa and she shrieked. Laughing, the hologram apologized.

                "Sorry, sorry!" it said. Rinoa breathed in sharply.

                "Whoa!" Selphie said, squealing. The hologram was a handsome man. He had unruly black hair with the deepest and most mysterious shade of purple in his eyes. He was wearing a formal outfit and a gentle smile.

                "Sorry, again. Anyways, are there any questions you ladies have before we enter the Esthar Kingdom?" he asked politely.

                Recovering from her initial shock, Rinoa looked thoughtful for a while before asking, " Could you show me a picture of Squall Leonhart?" Nodding, the man opened an imaginary photo book and pulled out a picture, showing it to Rinoa. The princess stared at the handsome man. Selphie was right, she did have quite a catch. The only thing that threw her off was the cold look in his stormy eyes and the scowl on his slightly feminine face. 

                "Ok, thanks. Um, could you show us the map of the kingdom and our sleeping quarters?" The hologram nodded again and a virtual map of the Esthar Kingdom appeared, a red dot marking their rooms.

                "That is so cool! I love Esthar and its technology!" Selphie said excitedly from behind Rinoa. Rinoa chuckled lightly.

                "Thank you, sir. That is all," Rinoa said. Nodding, the hologram disappeared in a blink of an eye and the two girls were left alone once more. Leaning back against the couch, Selphie heaved a deep sigh.

                "Are you tired, man I'm tired!" Selphie mumbled lightly, resting her head against the cushions. Rinoa nodded in reply and closed her eyes once more, trying to picture what her life would be like in the near future. She must have fallen asleep because the next thing she knew, someone was gently shaking her shoulders.

                "Wake up, Rinny! We're here!" Rinoa's eyes opened in a flash and it took her a few seconds to recognize her surroundings.

                "Are we there already?" The raven-haired princess could feel her hands start to shake a little, and it felt like Cactuar were hopping around in her stomach, pricking her with their sharp needles. 

                "Yep!" Selphie chirped, whooping a little. The door on Rinoa's side opened suddenly and a man offered his white gloved hand to her. Rinoa quickly grasped his hand, climbing out of the limousine and shielding her brown eyes from the sun. After Selphie had been helped out, the two girls were escorted inside the hi-tech castle.

                "Wow…" Selphie breathed, looking around. Everything was hi-tech, from the floors to the ceiling. Rinoa didn't focus on that, though. She was too busy trying to calm down her shaking body. They suddenly stopped outside mahogany doubles doors that were outlined with gold trim. An announcer waited on their side of the door, and when he acknowledged them he bowed politely in their direction and then opened the doors, yelling for all the world to hear.

                "May I introduce to you, Princess Rinoa Heartilly of the Timber Kingdom!" She could just feel all eyes on her. Slowly, she stepped into the room, looking straight ahead determinedly. Her eyes fell on the king, Laguna Loire, who just beamed at her as if she was the answer to his prayers. She smiled a little. Well, at least she knew the king was nice. She then looked over at the queen who was observing her, but smiling nonetheless. This didn't seem so bad…

                The next instant that her eyes landed on Squall Leonhart, time stopped for a moment, and all she could see was blue-grey. He was handsome, alright. His eyes were aesthetic, completely different from his parents' eyes, but his facial features were a shocking replica of his father's. His unruly brown locks glowed under the light's beam, and a straight line was set firmly on his lips. His eyes were trained only on her, as if she was the only person in the room. 

                She suddenly felt very self-conscious. _Looks aren't everything, looks aren't everything…_but that chant died on her lips as she stood before him and curtsied, feeling a blush stain her cheeks.

*********************

                Squall stood silently with his parents, awaiting the arrival of his fiancé. He didn't feel good at all. Suddenly, Irvine's words rang in his ears.  _C'mon, Squall! Don't you feel anything? Angry?! Your parents just married you off to some Heartilly chick and you don't care?! _

                Yes, he did care, but there was nothing he could do about it now. Shifting uncomfortably in his fancy uniform, he set his eyes on the doors, as if beckoning them to open. And then the announcer declared her arrival, and the double doors swung open to reveal a pretty girl dressed in a white dress. She timidly entered the room, curiously observing everything around her. _Look at me._ She focused her gaze on Laguna, and then Raine, a small smile on her face. And then she summoned up the courage to face Squall. 

                He couldn't help it. He was entranced by her eyes. They were a rich and captivating brown, with a mysterious fleck of gold hidden deep inside her irises. He felt like he couldn't move for a moment, but after it passed, he felt foolish. Foolish for being lovesick over someone he didn't even know. Straightening up a little, he looked down at her as she curtsied nervously, bending up to face him.

                "Um…hi…"

                "Hello." He inwardly winced at his harsh voice, but kept a cold face on the outside. A tense silence stirred around the two people, and then Laguna clapped his hands together, facing Raine.

                "Well, I think we should give them a chance to get to know each other, don't you?"

                "Why yes, that is a grand idea! Have fun, you two!" And they were gone in a flash. Rinoa scratched the back of her head, suddenly feeling very alone.

                "So…"

                "So what."

                "Hey, I'm just trying to start a conversation here."

                "Why."

                "Because, I want to avoid an awkward silence!" She huffed, eyeing him. A small smirk etched his handsome features and she felt herself rolling her eyes for no apparent reason.

                "So…er...I heard that you use a gunblade," she said lamely. Now it was his turn to roll his eyes.

                "Yeah, I do. What about it?"

                "Wanna fight?" Squall's eyes widened marginally, and then he shook his head, smirking.

                "No way."

                "Why not?!"

                "Because—"

                "RINNY!!!!" A yellow ball of energy sent Rinoa flying to the floor, knocking Squall down with her. Selphie grinned and clapped her hands like a toddler, getting off of Rinoa. "So, how'd it go? Hey, where's Squall?"

                "I'm right here below the princess," came a muffled voice. Startled, Rinoa looked down, and sure enough, she was sitting on Squall's stomach. Blushing mad, she jumped off of him and muttered a quick apology. After Squall had recovered, he looked at Selphie.

                "I remember you. Selphie Tilmitt, right?"

                "Yah! Wow! You remembered me!" Selphie pumped a fist into the air squeezing Squall tightly.

                "You guys know each other?"

                "Yeah, Selphie attended Balamb Garden, also," Squall shrugged carelessly, scratching his head.

                "Anybody remember me?" Selphie whirled around and her eyes lit up.

                "Irvy! Wow, I haven't seen you since forever!" The brunette bear hugged Irvine, making the cowboy laugh.

                "Hey, Selph."

                "I'm…lost." Selphie giggled and Irvine chuckled, sending a glance her way.

                "Nice to meet you, Ms. Heartilly." He tipped his hat at her, winking. 

                This didn't seem that bad after all.

A/N-WOW! I haven't updated in months! So sorry! No inspiration whatsoever! So please review! I worked a long time on this, and I mean a LOOOOONG time! REVIEWS!!!!

Moshi Moshi Mai


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